


I'm Bound To Be Proposing

by mercurys_loverboy (FandomStar)



Series: Freddie and Arthel ~ "Canon" [18]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Dorks in Love, Gentle Kissing, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Promises, Trans Male Character, sleepy freddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-24 18:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22002490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomStar/pseuds/mercurys_loverboy
Summary: After a long tour, Freddie decided to stay with Arthel for the first two weeks of his month off before a new tour for a very special reason.
Relationships: Freddie Mercury/Original Male Character(s), Original Character & Original Character
Series: Freddie and Arthel ~ "Canon" [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1361284
Kudos: 6





	I'm Bound To Be Proposing

**Author's Note:**

> This is my 100th work on AO3, and it's also my last of the year and the decade! So Happy New Year to everyone reading this!  
> This takes place in October 1980.

Freddie had had three months to decide he wanted to do it and to plan the night.

Even as he and Arthel strolled back to Arthel's flat holding hands, Freddie wasn't sure whether his plan had been good enough or not.

"I enjoyed dinner." Arthel commented, smiling at his boyfriend.

Relief evident on his face, Freddie smiled back. He'd made reservations at a local restaurant for that night - nothing too high-end or expensive - and was glad that it had paid off.

"So did I." he replied.

Arthel unlocked the front door and then the door to his upstairs flat. As Freddie got settled on the sofa, he watched Arthel set a record on his turntable. When The Kinks started playing softly, Arthel took his coat and shoes off before sitting down next to Freddie, who immediately wrapped an arm around him.

"I love you, darling." Freddie whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his partner's jaw, and then his lips.

"I live you, too." Arthel replied, smiling into another kiss.

Freddie separated from Arthel slightly. 

"I want to ask you something." he told Arthel a little nervously.

Arthel nodded, noticing Freddie's serious tone. "Okay."

Fiddling with his fingers, Freddie took a deep breath.

"If it were possible, would you marry me?" 

Surprised, Arthel stared at his boyfriend.

"But... we could. I'm-"

"Yes, I know. But... but that wouldn't _really_ be me and you, would it?" Freddie replied, interrupting. "It would be me and... some woman I've never known. I'd... I'd want it to be _us,_ Freddie Mercury and Arthel Jenkins. If marriage - with me - is something that you would want. If it were possible."

Arthel's gaze softened, and he took Freddie's hand in his own.

"I would marry you in a heartbeat if I could." he told Freddie, grinning.

In response, Freddie beamed brightly, unashamedly baring all of his teeth. (That was a development in their relationship that Arthel would always be proud of.)

"Then I'd like to give you this." he said, pulling a small box from a pocket in his jeans and placing it in Arthel's hand.

Feeling his heartbeat rise, Arthel looked up at Freddie.

"Open it."

At Freddie's encouragement, Arthel lifted the lid. A bare audible _oh my god_ left his lips when he saw a gold ring encrusted in blue sapphires with a shimmery white stone in the centre.

"Fred," he breathed. "Fred, I-"

"It's a promise ring," Freddie interrupted to explain. "It felt presumptuous to buy an engagement ring, so I bought you this. I just wanted to symbolise the fact that I promise to marry you as soon as I can. Do you like it, my dear?"

Wiping at his eyes whilst trying not to get his glasses dirty, Arthel looked up at Freddie's wide, nervous eyes and nodded. "I love it, Freddie."

Freddie beamed, before cheekily tapping his partner's thigh.

"Put it on, then!" he teasingly encouraged.

Carefully, Arthel took the ring out of the box and slid it onto his right ring finger. It fit perfectly - of course it did. Gently holding Arthel's hand, Freddie smiled at the ring. 

"Now I'm always with you," he claimed in a whisper, leaning closer to Arthel. "Even when I'm away, you'll always have me."

Arthel chuckled, before Freddie firmly pressed his lips to Arthel's mouth and leaned closer, until he slowly pushed Arthel so he was laying on his back with Freddie sprawled on top of him. When Freddie pulled away from the kiss to snuggle into his neck, Arthel wrapped his arms around his waist with a quiet laugh.

"You know, this means that I've got to buy you a ring," he said, smiling, carrying on before Freddie could protest. "Because I want to, and I have money left after putting aside for Bill's and rent. You've promised me, so now I need to promise you."

Freddie grinned down at Arthel, before his partner groaned.

"Get off. You're heavier than you look, and it feels like my whole body is going numb." Arthel complained.

"Charming." Freddie jokingly retorted, sitting up.

Laughing, Arthel also sat up.

"Fuck off!" he replied, whacking Freddie's chest, before wrapping an arm around Freddie, who happily rested his head on Arthel's shoulder.

Neither of them noticed that the A-side of the record had finished fifteen minutes ago.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Lottie exclaimed, admiring Arthel's ring. "And it's a promise ring?"

Arthel nodded, also gazing at his ring.

"Yeah, Fred just suddenly asked if I'd marry him if it was legal when we got back from dinner." he replied.

"Sounds like he planned it, then. If it was after going out for a meal." Lottie comments Ted.

"I hadn't thought about it. Maybe," Arthel said. "Anyway, I'm getting him a ring, too. I was thinking of going out to see what I can find after work." 

Grinning, Lottie scoffed. 

"Well, I'm coming with you," she announced. "You're going to need help, 'cause you don't know the first thing about jewellery."

As he laughed, Arthel nodded.

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed. "Let's get the shop open so we can close up early."

* * *

When he'd managed to sneak into his flat, Arthel found Freddie laid in bed, dozing. Smiling, Arthel knelt next to him.

"Hey, Fred," he whispered in his boyfriend's ear. "I have something for you."

Slowly, Freddie opened his eyes and blinked owlishly at Arthel. As he sat up, Arthel lifted himself onto the edge of the bed.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hands." Arthel instructed.

Once Freddie had done as he'd been told, Arthel placed a ring box in Freddie's hands. Freddie made an 'o' shape with his mouth.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked, his eyes still tightly shut.

Arthel grinned.

"Take a look and find out." he lightly replied.

When Freddie opened his eyes, he quietly gasped.

"Darling, I didn't expect you to find one so soon," he said, a smile pulling at his mouth. "Can I-?"

"Well, it's not doing much good in the box!" Arthel remarked, laughing.

Freddie chuckled in agreement, before opening the box. The ring Arthel had bought was gold, with a ruby as the centre stone and two small diamonds either side of the setting. Shocked, Freddie grasped at Arthel's hand.

"This must've cost you a fortune." he murmured.

"It made a dent," Arthel admitted, shrugging. "But I'll still be able to feed myself. Besides, I have a few gigs, and I've been doing well at those. And it'll look beautiful when you put it on."

Freddie stared at his ring for a moment longer, before giving the box to Arthel.

"Would you like to do the honours, my love?"

Smiling, Arthel took the ring from the box and held Freddie's right hand.

_Please fit, please fit, please fit..._

The ring was a tiny bit loose on Freddie's finger, but otherwise fit.

"You look very triumphant." Freddie remarked, smirking.

"I'm just glad it fit! I had no idea what size you'd be, so we figured you'd be a size bigger than Lottie since your fingers have similar shapes." Arthel explained.

As he laughed, Freddie had nothing but love and affection in his eyes. Still holding his hand, Arthel gazed at his boyfriend. 

"Just like you promised me, I _will_ marry you, Freddie Mercury. As soon as I can."

Freddie pulled Arthel closer by the neck, and they passionately kissed.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon by Queen  
> (Let's keep a record of how many times I can use lyrics from that song!)


End file.
